An Inky Demise
by RootBeerInkling
Summary: Coral, a tough as nails fifteen year old inkling, has clambered her way to the semi-finals in Ranked battles with her tri-squad. When Coral is challenged to a Dojo match by a former champion, she begins to realize theres more to turf war that meets the eye. The stinging competition between squads is driving friendship to be a second priority. Who knows? Maybe rivalries are dumb.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Let me introduce my problem to you_

I crept from the bathroom door, twenty feet to my locker. I was desperate to check if it was there.

"Still there…" I murmured to myself. The snapped inkbrush gleamed with the dim light from the hall. I had gotten out of class just to check on it in my locker. I really needed it fixed, but I needed to catch the subway after school. The next one would be after Sheldon closes shop... Turf war weapons are forbidden in school, but I had no other choice-

"Look who's got a weapon," A voice said from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Cassandra leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and her face brooding. A sticker on her chest proclaimed that she was the hall monitor today.

"You're part of that dumb Tri Squad, right? 'Fast pace?' The one who are flashing around the plaza showing off their shiny low-range weapons?"

I groaned.

"Its 'Quick Start'. Listen. I have to take this to Ammo knights right after school. I can't even use it, If you aren't blind, you can clearly tell it's broken." I said.

Cassandra's tentacles were tied in a spiral, and two of her stubbs hung over her ears. In Turf war, It was difficult to play with nice tentacle-dos, so I never did mine.

"Still, aren't allowed. And I'm the hall monitor," She sneered. I could feel my ink boiling. What was it about this squid that drove me crazy? She was a teacher's pet, her tentacles were always done, she reported any "suspicious" activity (AKA, mention of Turf War weapons, swearwords, mention of anything inappropriate) and she was a big brown noser.

"What are you going to do anyway? Tattle like you always do? My squad is getting ready to go to the semifinals for Turf War champions. And we do just fine with low range weapons! You're just jealous I have a squad, and your old one ditched you." I almost yelled. Oops. She looked hurt for a second, but then regained her demeanor. Cassandra walked over and leaned real close.

"I'll have you know, I'm an independant S-rank player. I left my squad, thank you very much, I wanted to go solo." She snarled, her face flushed blue with the color of her ink, I . She was so close to my face, I could hear her breathing. "Let's make a deal, Coral. You beat me at a turf war, and I'll keep my mouth shut. But, If I beat you, I'll make sure you get detention."

"Four O clock. Dojo." I snarled.

"Deal." She smiled. She wiped a little bit of deep blue ink of her tentacle, and flicked it on my cheek. It stung, but I stayed composed, I didn't wipe it off. Cassandra sashayed off, probably to look for other people to blackmail.

"Deal." I murmured angrily, as I smeared off the blue ink on my cheek.

The subway ride was not fun. The two different parts of my inkbrush fell multiple times, and the creepy old squid next to me was babbling on and on and ON about how "They didn't have inkbrushes back in mah day" and "Why not a Bamboozler? They are the weapon of tradition". FINALLY I got off the subway and ran into Inkopolis plaza.

Several kids were talking about the big Tentacles game tonight, and the Splatfest next month. The theme was still unannounced. A few were chilling by the shops and the Turf war entrance. It was 3:30. I had half an hour to get my inkbrush fixed before my match with Cassandra. I was a little nervous…

Cassandra was a legend when we were all in eighth grade. She belonged to the top squad, "#Shellfie", A purple inkling squad, composed of all S rank players. But one day, she stopped strutting around the plaza with #Shelfie. Some say they kicked her off. Some say she left. I don't know. I just know she got a lot less "Ruthless Player" and more "Prissy Jerk".

My squad back then was my sister Miff, my cousin Cal, and his best friend Lucas. I met Lucas in my chemistry class. He stared at me for the whole lesson, and three days later he became my lab partner. We got to know eachother a bit, and now he's the leader of my Squad. Miff, my sister, used to be one of the top players… but she hurt the muscles in her foot one day… and she never played again. I miss having her on my team, but she says it better for her foot not to get hurt again. And after my father disappeared, she abandoned charging and dyed her tentacles yellow. As for me? I never changed. I used my dads inkbrush and just played for fun. But when my team when tri-squad, I think we got stronger. We held up better, and look at us now! We are going into the semi-finals! Its us against Ink Or Sink, another legendary squad. #Shellfie is up against "Splattack!" the squad that hoisted the legendary Blue once...

"Yo! Coral!" A voice called, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see the rest of my tri-squad, Cal and Lucas. I instantly grinned to see my friends. "Wanna start a squad battle?" Cal asked, my cousins face curved in a grin. My heart fell.

"Oh. Uh, I'm kinda busy… I need to get my inkbrush fixed and Cassandra challenged me to a dojo battle…" I said, rubbing my foot against the cement. I expected disappointment, but instead I saw shock!

"Cassandra? Cassandra _Fishbait_? _The_ Cassandra Fishbait? Dude, you'll get squashed!" Yelped Lucas. His bronze skin was shiny with sweat. He sweat a lot.

I cringed. "Yes?" I said shakily. Lucas slapped his hands to the side of his face and began to hyperventilate.

"Bro, chill! She'll be okay. She beat up Sadie, remember?" Cal reassured the panicking Lucas. I frowned at the memory. It was true, I basically beat up my other cousin last week. Poor stick. Krak-on-SplatRollers are no match for my Inkbrush. I still feel bad.

"Sadie and Morgan are like, the lowest people on the rank board. This is past champion Cassandra Fishbait we are talking about." I would prefer if Lucas didn't insult my cousins, but it's true…

"Guys i'll be fine. I bet she's rusty." I lied. I've seen her in turfwar. She tops the list every time. She's level fifty, and wanted on twenty different squads,

I set my own death.

I'm doomed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yup, It's busted alright." Sheldon stated. He pulled out a jar from under his counter. No squid Sherlock.

"Can It be fixed? Coral needs it for a very important date!" Lucas said while anxiously pulling his sweatshirt drawstrings.

"With who?" Teased Sheldon, dragging his finger through the air as he picked up a glue gun. A bubble of rage filled my chest.

"It's a dojo match! I'm fighting a girl I don't like! And I got less than 20 minutes!" I yelled, tapping my toes and shaking my hands.

"I can't fix it in less than twenty… It will take me at least an hour to re-seal the plaster… You might want to try a different weapon..." Sheldon muttered, picking up a small brush.

"I don't know how to use any other weapons!" I yelled holding the side of my head.

"Well, you can borrow one of my Inkbrushes," Sheldon told me, scratching his neck. I scrunched my shoulders in displeasure as I saw Sheldon carry away my Inkbrush with my lucky red handle. My inkbrush had belonged to my dad and the handle was really important to me.

Looking in the corner, I saw a inkbrush labeled "Test novice prototype". I frowned, but I took it anyway.

Cassandra was already there sitting on the railing. She was wearing a red Zeeko sweatshirt. Ninja Squid. My pilot goggles hung around my neck, and my jacket was open around my shoulders. I gasped as I hurtled up the railings.

"I-i'm here! Sorry I'm late!" I panted as I fell flat on my face. The prototype inkbrush rolled over by the door of the dojo.

Sheldon couldn't fix my inkbrush fast enough, so he said I could borrow one. I took the one leaning on the side of the door. It had a sign on it that read; "NOVICE PROTOTYPE". I had no idea what the difference between it and a regular inkbrush was, but the point was, It was an inkbrush.

"What a shocker." Cassandra mocked, her mouth curling into a smile. "It's like you're never late for history or anything." I suddenly lost all motivation to be polite. I followed her into the dojo after grabbing "my" brush.

The lady inside was at least polite.

"Name?" She asked us.

"Coral Freshwater."

"Cassandra Fishbait."

I cringed realizing we had the same initials.

The lady scribbled our names on a clipboard."Battlemode?"

"Turf War." Cassandra said cooly. I clenched my fists. I hope she didn't see my tentacles curl.

"Stage?"

"Salt-"

"MORAY TOWERS!" I yelled before Cassandra got the chance to open her mouth. Cassandra gave me a dirty look.

"Weapons?"

"I-Inkbrush." I sputtered clutching the handle for support. What have I gotten myself into?!

"E-liter 3k." Cassandra said in almost a snicker. I thought I might have passed out for a moment. Yup. Sheldon only lets you have a E-liter if you are a really high level. Im doomed.

"Alright. Grab some ink tanks and head through the filters." I gulped. I snatched up a ink tank took about two seconds to attach it to my ink sac, and sped through the filter. The inkweb clung as I ran through it. Glancing at my tentacles I saw they changed from bright green to orange.

Here goes nothing.

"You lost?"Asked Lucas, knitting his eyebrows together. We stood in Jelly Fresh. Cal was looking at shirts, debating over a 8-bit fishfry or a Black Pipe ("BlackBelly Invasion was my favorite as a squiddie, but I shop from fishfry allot… witch do you guys like better?"), and I looked nonchalantly at a street style shirt with a spray paint like pattern. It was unimaginably expensive. I burrowed my neck further in my jacket.

"Yeah. I don't believe it." I moaned miserably. I basically got splatted fourteen times, and she covered the whole map, keeping me locked up in my base. But the worst part was, the inkbrush I was using. I had no clue what was wrong with it. The sub and special were different from a normal inkbrush! Instead of a Sprinkler, I placed a pointless ink mine! And when I was at my base trying to distract her with a inkstrike, I BUBBLED. SPECIAL WAISTED. I got only 31% of the map.

"Well, yeah. She really was good."

Jellonzo saw me and waddled over.

"Your jacket is among the freshest! I may ask you, did you buying it here?" Asked Jellonzo in his funny accent and horrible inklesh.

"No, I got it out of town," I started.

"Make sure it's fresh. I'm not wearing anything drab." A voice said. I recognized it instantly. "Oh hello, Coral! How are you, dumpling?" Lucy's silky voice called. I grunted quietly. Hope she didn't hear that.

"Hello." Lucas said pleasantly and turned away from me. He gave a bow to Lucy who curtsied back. Lucas was too kind. Even to the _LEADER OF #SHELLFIE._ Lucy was what you would call "model ready". She's popular, pretty, talented, has over 1'000 followers on insta-squid, and mean as hell. She wears a Tekedora mesh over her tousled tentacles giving her a lazy but pretty look. A mint tee, the black collar at the base of her neck. I despise all of it.

"Hi, Lucy." I muttered and pretended to look busy looking at a t shirt picturing three squids around a campfire. Lucy seized her chance.

"How was your afternoon?" She chirped in a phony sing song voice. My ink was boiling. She hated me. She wanted me off QuickStart. She hates my team because my sister Once beat her in rainmaker. Lucy was out for my ink. She was desperate to see my team burn in hell.

I scoffed. "Exilent! Yours?" I snapped and turned to face her." Her eyes were hidden under her hat. Like always. She smiled at me, even though she couldn't see my face. She knew I was agitated.

"Fantastic. Had myself a nice battle of _turfwar._ " She mocked. I couldn't stand it. I was done letting her taunt me. I was done letting her bully me. I lifted my leg and slammed it onto her stomach causing her to retch and fly backwards. She slammed against the wall and I cursed at her. Knowing I was going to get kicked out of the store, I ran out of the store, tears in my eyes.

Not even the calls of my friends could get me to stop running. I ran to the train station and plopped down onto a bench. My eyes stung from crying and I checked the train schedule on the wall. Ten minutes till the next train to my neighborhood. I waited. I pulled out my phone and sent a text to my mom.

 _Coral: Going to be home early today mum._

I waited.

 _Mum: Oh okay hon. You not feeling well?_

 _Coral: Um yeah I have a headache._

I cringed at the lie. But there was no way I was going to tell my mother that I kicked Lucy Capricorn in the stomach. She would kill me. Than she would ground me.

 _Mum: Okay honey. I'll see you at home. Ruthie will make You and Miff grilled cheese and soup. Miff isn't feeling well either._

Crap, I forgot that Miff went home sick today. The train pulled in. I lept up and hopped on the train. Who knows what horrors awaited me at home?


	3. Chapter 3

I slunk around school the next day. I didn't dare show my face to Cassandra. So, I ended up pretending to have a stomach ache during fifth period so I didn't have to face Cassandra. On the down side, the nurse called my mom and my mom being the overprotective parent she is, decided to come to school and pick me up.

"Mom I'm fine-" I protested over the nurse's phone, but she didn't listen. Twenty minutes later and she's shoving me into the car, complaining about the school system and how it's unsanitary and kids my age should wear surgical masks at this point. Finally, I ended up where I started. Lying awake in bed.

I looked over by the wall. Where my Inkbrush was usually propped up, nothing was there. It was still getting fixed. Just then, my phone buzzed. I picked it up.

" _DeepSeaLucyyy wants to chat!"_ Read the text message offer. I scoffed. That's Lucy's internet name, I recognize it anywhere Hell no. I declined the request and through my phone down. But, after a few seconds boredom got the best of me, and I decided to check Insta-Squid for something interesting.

The first thing that popped up onto my screen, was a photograph of The Squid Sisters. Both were holding signs advertising splatfest.

" _SPLATFEST THEME ANNOUNCED! TIME TO GET DANC'IN! ROCK MUSIC? OR POP MUSIC? PICK YOUR TEAM AT THE PLEDGE BOX IN THE PLAZA! BE THERE OR BE UNFAIR! STAY FRESH, AND LET THE BETTER MUSIC CHOICE WIN!"_ I mumbled in agreement with Marie, Pop music was definitely more my style. I wondered what side my friends would pick.

Dinner sucked. Every thing sucked. I was just so miserable It took me a few minutes to notice the TV screen in the kitchen- the one Ruthie watched her lame old lady cooking shows on- blaring with the image of the Inkopolis tower. But something was off. The great Zapfish, The Electric Catfish that rested atop the tower was missing from the photograph. The Squid Sisters stood around the image with scared faces.

Callie: News flash!

Marie: What is it?

Callie: The Great Zapfish has been declared missing!

Marie: No way!

Callie: The reason behind this is a mystery, however some theorise it may have something to do with the UFO crash last month.

Marie: The crashed UFO was found in a turfwar stage three weeks ago. No sign of life was found in it, and it doesn't have any sort of unknown technology, so scientists assume it was not from outer space, though its origins are still unclear.

Callie: With the Great Zapfish missing, Inkopolice will see a definite decrease of power, and blackouts might be unavoidable.

Marie: Woah! You don't think we might have to cancel the splatfest, next month…?

Callie: Urg, don't make me think about that.

My mom then switched off the TV. Actually, she didn't. The power just cut off.

"Speak of the devil, and he doth appear." My sister's deep voice said from the stairwell. I looked up to see her in the dim room, still in her school uniform. She just looked like she was done. With the lights off she sure as heck looked a lot more ominous.

"Hi, Miff." I greeted my sister. Miff just thinned her lips and groaned.

"The powers out? Why am I not surprised?" She sighed. A roll of distant thunder sounded. She limped from the stairwell and plopped down next to me. I assume she limped because her ankle was acting up again. She picked up her now cold dinner and began wolfing it down. My older sister did not live a very healthy lifestyle… Ruthie enters the room now.

"Girls, the powers going to be out for a while so you might as well study and what not." The old squid said, and waddled her way back to the kitchen. My mother must have not been back from her job yet, because I didn't see her join us at the table. I sighed. It was going to be a long night.


End file.
